D R U S I L L A 

AND HER DOLLS 



BY, BELLE BACON BOND 



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DRUSILLA 

AND HER DOLLS 







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DRUSILLA AND HER DOLLS 

























D R U S I LL A 

AND HER DOLLS 


A TRUE STORY 

OP A LITTLE GIRL OF BOSTON IN THE *60*s 

BY 

BELLE BACON BOND 

FOREWORD BY MRS. DALLAS LORE SHARP 
ILLUSTRATIONS BY MARJORIE VERY 



Boston 

The Four Seas Company 
Publishers 


Copyright, 1921, hy 
The Four Seas Company 





The Four Seas Press 
Boston, Mass., U. S. A. 




0)C!.A661673 


TO 

MY MOTHER 

WHOSE LOVING HEART EVER 
SHARED MY CHILDHOOD FANCIES 



FOREWORD 


[Not for those who still play dolls] 

D RUSILLA and her dolls is a story to 
start a child living in a new seriousness with 
her doll-famUy. But it is much more than a story 
for a child — a fact that the author of this rare 
bit of child-autobiography had to have pointed 
out to her. The story is so much her own life 
that she did not realize the meaning to others 
involved in the unfolding of her wise mother’s 
forerunning heart — more valuable to point the 
way to real motherhood than any made-up story 
or any delving into child-psychology could be. 

It may seem strange that Drusilla did not 
realize what a tale of mother-insight she was 
spreading before the mothers of the little girls 
she was writing to amuse. But it is not strange 
if we remember that to Drusilla her mother was 
no “Mother Phenomenon,” as Dickens might 
call her. She was just the only kind of mother 
Drusilla knew and so, to her, the standardized 
mother. It is only we who know how far short 
we are of being such a mother, that we value her 
self-restraint and self-effacement, however ready 
7 


8 


FOREWORD 


she was to enter, when bidden, into the holy place 
of the child’s originality; but while Drusilla was 
free to invent her own play, her mother did not 
abandon her to a solitary enjoyment of it. Instead 
she aided and abetted so casually that the child 
was all unaware of the star role her mother 
played. The mother’s part only seemed incidental 
because she kept out of the way of Drusilla’s 
doll-play until she was asked in. She combined 
Faith, Hope, and Love, embodied in an attitude, 

“They also serve who only stand and wait” 

— their turn behind the wings. 

Stevenson, in his A Child’s Garden of Verses, 
makes perennial appeal because he was able to go 
back into his own heart of childhood and tell his 
thoughts in his own child’s way. In much the 
same way, Drusilla’s mother was able to live her 
childhood again in watching, chiefly, Drusilla’s 
attempt to live life to the full through her own 
self-containment. 

The sensitiveness of the relationship that ex- 
isted between mother and child is exquisitely 
expressed in the mother’s satisfying the child’s 
practical mind about how the circle for the 
London post-mark was made, by placing her 
thimble without a word of explanation on the circle. 
Again, could a mother enter more completely into 
her child’s joy than by following up the European 


FOREWORD 


9 


trip with a trunkful of Paris finery, the trunk 
stuck over with foreign labels! Thrills, thrills! 

The thought of such delicacy of feeling makes 
sick the heart of the mother who has never shared 
in anything so intimate and so has failed to enter 
whole-heartedly into the life of her child in ad- 
vance of all comers. 

In her sympathy, unstrained but always veiled, 
Drusilla’s mother truly seems unmatched. The 
kind of mother she was in detail grew in no small 
part out of the circumstances of there being but 
one Drusilla — the only good reason I ever heard 
for there being an only child. 

Drusilla is the price we pay for an American 
Beauty rose — one perfected at the loss of many. 
It is a case for the eugenists to weigh. But to me 
it seems the cost was not too much. Already four 
generations are blessed. May four times four 
more be blessed in the story of Drusilla and Her 
Dolls interpreted in the light of Drusilla and her 
mother! 

GRACE HASTINGS SHARP 

Mullein Hill, 

Hingham, October 7, 1921 



DRUSILLA 

AND HER DOLLS 



She would watch for the first star 

in the evening sky. 


to appear 


DRUSILLA AND HER DOLLS 


TARUSILLA was an only child and had to play 
by herself most of the time. How often she 
wished for a sister or a brother! To help along 
her wish she would watch for the first star to 
appear in the evening sky, and, when she saw it, 
would repeat the old rhyme, 

“Starlight, starbright, 

The first star I’ve seen tonight! 

I wish I may, I wish I might. 

Have the wish, I wish tonight.” 

Then she would wish as hard as she could, ‘T 
want a little baby sister! I want a little baby 
brother!” But, Oh, dear! It never came true! 

One day when she felt particularly lonely, she 
said to herself, ‘Tf I can’t have a live baby sister, 
ril have a doll baby sister.” 

Prom that time on, as long as she played with 
dolls, she made believe she was a sister to them; 
and her make-believe came to be a very real 
comfort to her. 


13 


14 


DRUSILLA 


THE SERIES: DINAH 

D RUSILLA’S first doll, Dinah, wa« made by 
Aunt Sarah Efiizaheth when DrusiUa was 
about six months old. Dinah’s body was of black 
cloth; her face was covered with black silk, and 
on the back of the head was sewed black worsted 
for hair. The eyes, nose, and mouth were out- 
lined with white sewing silk. 

DrusiUa was so fond of Dinah that by the time 
the doll was a year old her silk face and 
worsted hair were quite worn out. Then Drusilla’s 
Grandma came to the rescue and gave Dinah 
a new face — this time, of white cloth with the 
features drawn on with ink. That is how Dinah 
turned from black to white. If Grandmothers 
could do that to live babies, how many black 
babies would there be left, I wonder. 

Drusilla’s first store doll was a beautiful wax 
one with lovely black curls of real hair. She was 
given to DrusiUa by her mother’s friend, Madame 
Radinski, the wife of a Russian artist, and came 
to Boston all the way from New York. DrusiUa 
decided to call her Lina after the beautiful giver. 

As Lina was dressed in stiff white tarleton, and 
was easily scratched, she had to be kept in a box 


AND HER DOLLS 


15 


except on special occasions. For that reason, 
Drusilla always felt Lina was rather haughty and 
not what you would call “an everyday” friend. 

So one day when Mother brought home another 
dolly made of papier mache Drusilla was very 
happy to have a real sister doll who could stand 
being played with as much as she liked. Drusilla 
called the new doll Rosey on account of her pink 
cheeks. 

Through much loving, Rosey soon lost those 
pink cheeks and the shine on her face, but she 
never lost Drusilla’s love. 


B'LORA WASHINGTON 

T he next addition to the doll family was 
Flora Washington, a real china maiden with 
blue eyes; yellow cimls over which was painted 
a black net; and a cloth body filled with sawdust. 

Drusilia was about four years old when Flora 
came to be her very own. This was how it hap- 
pened: Drusilla’s Father came home one night 
and told Mother that he was to take a position 
in Washington, D. C., for a while, and that they 
might have to live there all the time. Drusilla 


16 


DRUSILLA 


did not like the idea of Father’s going so far 
away that she could not have his goodnight hug 
and kiss, but to make it as easy as he could 
Father promised to write a nice long letter to her 
that should have her name on the envelope. She 
should break the seal herself, so that Mother 
could read it to her. 

In a few days after Father left for the Capital 
the promised letter came. Drusilla felt like a 
very important person. The letter told about 
the beautiful great city where President Lincoln 
lived and where Father saw many soldiers on 
their way to the South. 

Not long after this. Mother received a letter 
from Father saying he was settled in his office 
and was ready to have her and Drusilla join him. 
It was already late springtime and Mother knew 
it would be unwise to take a child to that hot 
city for the summer. So she asked Grandma if 
she would like to have Drusilla stay with her 
while Mother went to visit Father and to hunt 
up a home in Washington. 

Of course Grandma was very happy to have 
her only grandchild spend the time with her! But 
just how would Drusilla like it? She and Mother 
had never been separated. What if the child 
should grieve and Grandma could not comfort 
her! At last Mother had a happy thought. She 
would buy a fine doll, larger and prettier than any 


AND HER DOLLS 


17 


Drusilla had ever had. This doll she would give 
her little daughter the day she was to leave, on 
the promise that Drusilla would be good and not 
cry while Mother was away. 

Drusilla had found she had got along without 
crying for Father at night, so she thought perhaps 
she could manage not to cry for Mother, if Grand- 
ma Lynde would sing her to sleep every night 
and she had the beautiful new doll to comfort 
her. So she promised to try not to cry. The 
next day Mother came home from town with 
the head and body of the largest and finest doll 
Drusilla had ever seen. 

“Now, dear, we’ll put these in the bureau and 
on the day that I go away Grandma will sew the 
head on, and dress her in the clothes that are 
all ready for her. What do you say to naming 
her Flora? Isn’t she as pretty as a fiower?” 
suggested Mother. 

“Yes, and Washington, too, to remember why I 
got her.” 

The plan worked so well that Drusilla became 
actually eager for the time to arrive when Mother 
should start. At last the day came and all was 
hustle and bustle. Drusilla, full of excitement, 
divided her time between watching Mother get 
ready and going to the bureau drawer to look 
again at the head and body awaiting the eventful 
moment when they were to be joined. But not 


18 


DRUSILLA 


till the cabman had carried the satchels down the 
steps, and Mother, tears in her eyes, hugged and 
kissed Drusilla goodbye and Drusilla had called 
out, “Goodbye! Goodbye, Mamma, go, go, to 
Papa,” did Grandma with threaded needle in hand 
take the first stitch in the process of uniting 
Flora’s head with her body. 

Years afterward, when Drusilla had grown up. 
Mother confessed that she had felt rather jealous 
to find her plan of peaceful getting away had 
worked so well. Flora continued to be the all-joy 
and comfort that it was hoped she would be, 
largely because Grandma was a wise woman and 
only allowed Drusilla to take Flora out of the 
bureau a few hours a day. Grandma had had 
six children of her own and she knew how quickly 
children tire of new toys. So, when the time 
finally came, as it did one rainy day, that Drusilla 
wanted Mother more than anything else in all the 
world, then Grandma said, — 

“Now, dear, you may have Flora to make you 
happy. Mother wlU be home soon, and then she 
will be so glad to know you have been good and 
not cried.” 

Drusilla remembered her promise and choked 
back the tears, like a brave little girl, and, in a 
few minutes, she and Flora were having a happy 
time together. 


AND HER DOLLS 


19 


THE PINCUSHION 

A S the day drew near for Mother’s return it 
seemed to Drusilla that the minutes grew 
into hours and the hours into days. One morning 
when Grandma was sewing by her window she 
said, — 

“Drusilla, don’t you want to give Mother a 
surprise?” 

“Oh! yes. What shall it be?” she asked eagerly. 
“I think you might sew these pieces of cloth 
together, then stuff them out with cotton and 
make a pincushion. Here is some red flannel for 
one side and some blue cashmere for the other. 
We can put on these pretty pearl beads, one in 
the center and one on each comer; then you will 
have a red, white, and blue cushion for Mother’s 
pins.” 

Drusilla’s Angers were pretty small to manage 
a needle, but she struggled bravely with her first 
sewing lesson and worked each day until the 
four sides of the little square were sewed. Then 
Grandma helped with the Ailing, and the surprise 
was flnished just in time for Mother’s arrival. 
Dmsilla thought it would be very nice to present 
it to Mother with a little speech. So she talked 
over with Grandma what to say. 


20 


DRUSILLA 


“I’ll stand on your cricket, Grandma, and 
Mother will think I am going to speak a piece; 
then rii surprise her with the cushion instead!’’ 

“What a fine plan!” said Grandma. But when 
Mother arrived there was so much hugging and 
kissing, laughing and talking, that poor Drusilla 
quite forgot the speech she had made up. So, 
not till Mother asked what Flora and Drusilla 
had been playing while she was away, did Grand- 
ma remember to say, 

“Drusilla has a surprise for you. When would 
you like it?” 

“Oh, this very minute,” cried Mother. Drusilla 
went to her little sewing box, took out the cushion 
and hid it behind her while Grandma placed the 
little stool in front of the window for the make- 
believe platform. Drusilla stepped upon it, her 
hands behind her. Then suddenly she caught 
Mother’s eye and her little speech seemed to fly 
away! She stood silent for a moment, then 
exclaimed, 

“Oh, Grandma, I can’t say it ’cause the laughs 
are in me!” Then feeling shy and ashamed at 
her forgetfulness, she ran over and hid her face 
on Mother’s shoulder, at the same time putting 
her little gift into Mother’s lap. 

“Am I to look at it?” asked Mother. 

Drusilla nodded her head and Mother opened 
the package to see what was inside. 


AND HER DOLLS 


21 


“Drusilla made it for you,” explained Grandma. 

“Well, that is a big surprise. I didn’t know 
such a small girl could learn to use a needle 
so well,” observed Mother as she examined the 
stitches, some longer than others, some straight 
up, some on the slant, but all done by her own 
little daughter. Drusilla, seeing her Mother’s 
pleasure, soon forgot her failure to make her 
speech. 


THE BATH 

O NE summer day, not many weeks after 
Mother’s return, Drusilla’s playmate and 
neighbor, Ida Oliver, came to spend the afternoon. 
It was a hot July day and the two little girls had 
a hard time trying to think of something cool to 
do. At last Ida said, 

“Let’s give Flora a bath to cool her off!” 
“Yes, let’s,” agreed Drusilla. “But what can 
we use for a bath tub?” 

Each child began to look around, when sud- 
denly Drusilla picked up Grandma’s wooden foot- 
stool. Turning it upside down she found it would 
answer the purpose of a tub. The sides of the 
cricket were not deep enough to hold much water, 
but enough, she thought. Ida and Drusilla quickly 


22 


DRUSILLA 


filled the cricket at the pump, placed it on the 
back stairs, near the outside door, and behold, 
their make-believe bathroom was ready for use. 
But Flora was no sooner in the tub than the 
water began to disappear. What was the matter? 
Only a few drops had been spilled or splashed 
over. Something had happened! But what was 
it? Alas! poor Flora, she knew, but she was 
speechless! She had soaked up all the water into 
her cloth-covered, sawdust-filled body! Drusilla, 
alarmed at the condition of her darling Flora, 
called out for Mother to come quick! When 
Mother saw what had happened and how dis- 
tressed her little girl was, she knew that this was 
no time to point a lesson; so she suggested a good 
place in a sunny south window for Flora to have 
a sunbath. Drusilla obeyed gladly. It took 
several days for Flora to dry out and be herself 
again. But never did she recover from the yellow 
streaks where the wet sawdust stained her cloth 
skin. Fortunately these streaks did not show 
when she was dressed! 


The summer passed very quickly, and, when it 
came time to go to Father in Washington, Drusilla 
was sorry to leave her dear Grandma’s home. 

“Don’t you want to stay with me and let Mother 
go again without you?” asked Grandma one day. 



Flora was no sooner in the tub than the water 
began to disappear. 



AND HER DOLLS 


25 


“Well, I’d like to stay with you. Grandma, but 
I think Papa ought to see how I’m growing and 
Mama is going to take me to see President Lincoln 
some day; so I really must go this time,” ex- 
plained Drusilla. Go, she did, and all the dollies 
with her. And there they all stayed for a long, 
long time. 

While living in Washington, Flora met with 
another mishap ; this time, she had a bad fall and 
broke two pieces out of the back of her head. 
Drusilla refused to be comforted until Mother had 
glued in the pieces for the time, and promised 
some day to get a new head. This head arrived 
on Flora’s birthday in April. The eyes and hair 
were like Flora’s but there was no net over the 
curls. Drusilla liked the new style and soon 
became quite contented with the changed head, 
thinking Flora prettier than ever. 

When the Civil War was over and Father had 
to be in Boston again, back they all came. Father, 
Mother, Drusilla, and the dolls. 

It was great fun to be home again near aunts, 
uncles, and cousins, but best of all to be near 
enough every week to visit Grandma, who was 
always ready to make a new dress or coat 
or something pretty for one of the dolls, while 
Drusilla played under the huge Horse Chestnut 
tree in Grandma’s garden. 


26 


DRUSILLA 


KITTY-FOR-SHORT 

O NE summer, when Drusilla was ten, she went 
with her Mother to Buffalo to visit some 
friends and to meet Father who was returning 
from a long journey west. 

The night they arrived at Mrs. Maynard’s home 
their trunk was not delivered; and, as Flora had 
traveled in it, Drusilla would have to go to bed 
without her. It was hard indeed! 

“I’m so sorry for Flora, too,’’ said Drusilla. “I 
know she’ll be as lonesome as I am.” 

When Miss Cornelia Maynard, whom Drusilla 
always called “Aunt Kitty”, found how disap- 
pointed her little guest was not to have her dolly 
with her, she said, 

“How would you like my dolly for tonight?” 
“Oh, I’d love to have her!” 

In a few minutes Aunt Kitty returned with a 
doll larger than any Drusilla had ever seen. 

“This is my doll,” she said, “and it was my 
mother’s, too. She is over forty years old. Her 
name is Cornelia — the same as mother’s and 
mine — but I call her Kitty, for short, just as I am 
called Kitty for short. I want you to play with 
her until your owp dolly conies.” 


AND HER DOLLS 


27 


Drusilla was so happy that she could scarcely 
go to sleep. Doll Kitty was about as big as a 
five months old baby. Her body was cloth and 
her arms and hands were covered with dark red 
kid. The head was an old fashioned one of papier 
mache, with black corkscrew curls. Miss Cornelia 
hastened to expiain the reason for the color of 
Kitty’s face, which was a shiny, sickly yellow. 

“When I was a little girl,” she began, “I wanted 
to wash Kitty’s face. But I had heard that it 
must be varnished first, or water would hurt it. 
So I went down to an old man at the comer of 
our street, who did housepainting, and got him to 
put a coat of varnish on her face. When I went 
the next day to get her, after she had dried 
thoroughly, I found he had put on the wrong 
kind of varnish! It had turned her the color you 
see. Nothing could be done about it; so she has 
been my yellow-faced baby ever since.” 

“Wasn’t that too bad!” exclaimed Drusilla. 
“But she can wear this nice little wool veil that 
goes with her cap when she goes out; then no 
one will know about her dark skin.” 

“Yes,” said Miss Cornelia. “That is what I 
used to do.” 

The next morning Drusilla was up bright and 
early and had Kitty dressed in a long baby dress, 
cloaked and capped, and the woolen veil drawn 
carefully over her face. As soon as breakfast 


28 


DRUSILLA 


was over she took Kitty in her arms and sat down 
on the steps of the Maynard mansion, with the 
yellow face snuggled against her, while only the 
head and cap could be seen by the passersby. 
Before long a woman stopped to ask — 

“Aren’t you rather young to take care of so 
small a baby?” 

Drusilla, fearing to spoil the make-believe, just 
shook her head while the woman passed along, 
much to Drusilla’s relief. 

When the trunk arrived in the morning, for 
the first time in Flora’s life, she had to take 
second place! 

As the visit drew to a close, Drusilla began to 
feel sorry that she would have to leave Kitty and 
perhaps never, never see her again. But listen 
to what happened! On the night before they 
were to start for home, after she was in bed. 
Aunt Kitty came to her room and kissed her. 

“For some time,” she said, “I have wanted 
some one to have my dolly who would be good 
to her and love her as much as I do; but I have 
never found just the right person. Now I think 
I know a little girl who will love and care for her 
as I have done; so I am going to give Kitty to 
her for her own! Can you guess the name of 
the little girl?” 

Drusilla’s heart beat very fast, and her eyes 
glowed with excitement. Of course, she knew 



She took Kitty in her arms anh sat down on the steps 









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AND HER DOLLS 


29 


no little girl that Aunt Kitty knew, but just her 
own self. What if she were the little girl Aunt 
Kitty had chosen! 

“I can’t guess.” Her little heart fluttered. 

“You can’t? Well, the little girl’s name is 
Drusilla!” 

“0-o-o-o-h! May I have Kitty for my very 
own?” 

“Yes, my dear, you are the little girl I have 
chosen.” 

Drusilla threw her arms around Miss Cornelia’s 
neck and covered her face with kisses. 

The handsomest new doll ever made never gave 
a child more pleasure than forty-year-old, var- 
nish-stained Kitty. 

“May I take Kitty with me on the train. Mama?” 

“No, dear, we go by train, but Kitty must go 
by trunk.” 

So Kitty was carefully packed into the big 
“Saratoga.” Now, when they reached Boston the 
trunk could not be found anywhere! Every time 
the bell rang the next day, and for several days, 
Drusilla ran to the door to see if the trunk had 
come. But, day after day went by, and no sign 
or word about it. Poor Drusilla began to fear 
that Kitty was lost forever. It was hard to endure. 
But, at the end of a week, the missing trunk did 
come. It was eagerly opened. Everything had 
returned safely — except Kitty! There, in her 


30 


DRUSILLA 


forehead, was a big hole — so big that Drusilla 
couldn’t see anything but the hole. 

“Oh, dear! Oh, dear! What would Aunt Kitty 
say if she knew the awful thing that had hap- 
pened to her dear old dolly! Oh, what shall I do !” 
wailed Drusilla. 

Mother felt badly, too. She had tried to pack 
Kitty very carefully, but with what a sad result! 
She at once promised to mend the head if pos- 
sible. It proved a hard thing to do, but she finally 
succeeded in pasting on heavy cloth and painting 
it to match the rest of Kitty’s skin. 

Drusilla felt she must be kinder and more loving 
than ever, now, to make up to her wounded doll- 
sister. 


KITTY, NEW-HEADED 

T he following Christmas, when Drusilla crept 
down stairs early in the morning to see if 
Santa had remembered to fill her stocking, she 
saw her little wooden rocker, with a large sheet 
of brown paper in front of it, drawn up to the 
fireplace. On the paper in large letters were the 
words, “Hasn’t Santa made me pretty?” She 
pushed aside the paper, and, there, in her chair, 
sat a large doll with a beautiful face. 



She saw her little wooden rocker drawn up to the fireplace, 





AND HER DOLLS 


33 


Drusilla was puzzled. What did this mean? 
Looking more closely, she found that the body 
of her old doll had a new head! What a queer 
feeling it gave her! She didn’t know whether to 
laugh or cry. 

“Don’t you like her?” asked Mother, who had 
come into the room and was watching her. 

“Why, yes, she’s lovely, but is she the same 
Kitty now, any more, that Auntie Maynard gave 
me?” 

“She’s just as near the same as I could make 
her. I even filled the new head with what I found 
in the old one.” 

“What did you find in the old one?” 

“Rags.” 

“Oh,” replied Drusilla, “then she must be the 
same Kitty, if she has the same brains.” 

That evening, just before bedtime, when the 
excitement of the day was over, Drusilla took 
Kitty into her room all by herself. She sat down 
in the rocking chair. She rocked Kitty for several 
minutes without a word. She was wondering 
about those rags. Were they really the same 
brains? Now was the time to find out. So she 
whispered, 

“Kitty, do you remember when the two big dogs 
were fighting on the street and knocked you out 
of your carriage?” She looked searchingly into 
Kitty’s eyes. Yes, she did remember, Drusilla was 


34 


DRUSILLA 


sure. There was the same startled expression in 
her eyes. 

“Oh, Mama, Mama, Kitty remembers!” called 
out Drusilla as her mother came in to kiss her 
goodnight. 

“How do you know?” 

“Why, I know Kitty is the same because I have 
been asking her a lot of things, and she remem- 
bers them all!” 

“I am so glad to hear it,” said Mother, “and I 
am sure she must feel happier now to know that 
she looks so much better.” 

But the next day Drusilla began to wonder what 
she should do with the old head that Mother had 
saved for her. It certainly would not do to keep it. 

“If Kitty should meet her other head lying 
around somewhere,” said Drusilla, “she might 
think she was two-faced, and. Mother, you said 
it wasn’t nice to be two-faced.” 

“Well,” said Mother, “how would it do to burn 
it the way we do the worn-out American flags?” 

“Oh, yes, what is it Papa calls it when you do 
that?” 

“Cremation.” 

“Well, I think I’ll cremation Kitty’s old head 
then.” 

“Cremate, is the word,” helped Mother. 

So that evening, when the kitchen was tidied 
up for the night, Drusilla and her friend Rena, 


The girls drew up their chairs in front of the range and waited 




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AND HER DOLLS 


35 


who had come on purpose for the ceremony, 
carried the womout head to the kitchen range. 
Drusilla poked the coals low enough to admit her 
dear old treasure ; then she put on the cover. The 
girls drew up their chairs in front of the range 
and waited. In a few minutes Drusilla lifted the 
cover and peeked in. 

“Nearly gone! Old Kitty’s head is turning to 
smoke and is flying up to the sky! Let’s look if 
w'e can see it!” 

Both girls peered out the window, but the dark- 
ness hid from view any signs of smoke from the 
chimney. 

“See those bright stars!” exclaimed Rena. 

“Oh, yes, I think dear old Kitty has gone to be 
an angel doll and live in that big bright one up 
there,” added Drusilla. 

Then, after returning to the range to make sure 
every particle of the precious head had disap- 
peared, they solemnly parted for the night. 

But the next night, and many nights after, be- 
fore Drusilla would get into bed she would look 
out of the window and And the star she had 
chosen for Kitty’s heavenly home and throw a 
goodnight kiss. 


36 


DRUSILLA 


A WEDDING 


HE same winter Mother had charge of a table 



JL at the big Charity Pair which ran for three 
days. Drusilla was to go each day after school. 
Mother noticed that after her first day’s visit, her 
whole interest and attention became strangely 
fixed on two dolls; One, a handsome wax boy 
doll dressed in blue blouse and red trousers with 
a cloth cap to match the suit; the other, also a 
wax doll, somewhat smaller and dressed in beau- 
tifully made baby clothes. The baby doll could 
open and shut her eyes, and, by pulling little 
strings in her side, could be made to say “Papa, 
Mama.” Her mouth was slightly open, and, there 
between her parted lips, were four tiny teeth. 

Drusilla lost all interest in everything else, and 
spent all her time at the Pair walking from the 
table where the handsome boy doll was to the one 
where lay the beautiful baby doll and gazing at 
each one while thinking of the wonderful things 
she could make-believe if the two only belonged 
to her. She knew that either of them would 
cost a great deal of money and that her savings 
would not go far toward buying even one of them. 
And she wanted both. Then she heard that the 


AND HER DOLLS 


37 


boy doll was to be sold on shares — ten pennies a 
chance. Should she spend all her money to buy 
some shares? 

She remembered hearing Grandma say to old 
lady Parker that she did not believe in selling 
quilts at the Ladies’ Sewing Circle on shares. 

Drusilla wondered what she would say about 
selling Boy-doll that way. 

Father and Mother had many friends attending 
the Pair, several of whom, when they found 
Drusilla watching so closely what was to become 
of her two favorites, bought some shares in Boy- 
doll, in her name, without telling her. 

On the last afternoon of the Fair, Drusilla was 
a little late in getting to the hall. As she went in, 
one of the ladies who had charge of Boy-doll’s 
table saw her and called out, “Drusilla, come here. 
I’ve something to tell you.” Drusilla hurried over 
to hear what it was. 

“My dear, we’ve drawn the numbers for Boy- 
doll,” said Mrs. Blair. 

“Oh, who won him?” asked Drusilla. Her voice 
trembled as she thought how happy some one 
must be. 

“You have, dearie; Boy-doll belongs to you, and 
you may take him now, if you like.” 

“But how did I draw him?” 

“Oh, some good fairy bought the lucky number 
for you.” 


38 


DRUSILLA 


The tears came into Drusilla’s eyes, she felt so 
happy. She took Boy-doll in her arms and hugged 
him. Then she carried him straight to Mother to 
share her joy in the good fortune. 

The next day still more joy came to her when 
Mother’s friend, Mrs. Stillings, sent the lovely 
talking doll as a present to Drusilla. With two 
such wonderful additions to her family, life was 
very full. 

Boy-doll was christened Frank Bowker, the last 
name being that of the grand dame of Boston 
who had dressed him for the Fair. 

Baby-doll was named Minnie. With Minnie 
came a beautiful blonde wig which Drusilla could 
put on or take off as she liked. Without it, Minnie 
was a very natural looking bald-headed baby; with 
it, she looked like a young lady. So, after a few 
months of babyhood, Drusilla decided it was time 
to have her grow up and be a sister to Frank. 

In the meantime, Frank had fallen deeply in 
love with Flora’s charms and she with his fine 
ways and handsome eyes. So, one day not long 
after this, Drusilla said, 

“Mama, Frank and Flora are engaged and they 
want to be married very soon. Can’t we have a 
wedding?” 

“Indeed, that is very interesting news. Now, 
let me see. I have been thinking about giving 


AND HER DOLLS 


39 


you a party on your birthday. How would it do 
to have the wedding then?” 

“Oh, just lovely, you dearest Mama darling! 
May it be like live people’s weddings?” 

“Yes, dear, if I can carry out my plans.” 

Then came very busy days. Drusilla spent all 
the time she could from school in helping on the 
wedding preparations. A visit to Grandma, to 
carry the news, brought promises from both 
Grandma and Aunt Sarah Elizabeth to help on 
the trousseau. 

Flora’s wedding gown was white organdie and 
lace, with a tulle veil; Prank’s outfit, a new suit 
of black broadcloth with a tall silk beaver hat, a 
gift from one of Father’s friends. 

'Tiny invitations were sent to all Drusilla’s play- 
mates which read as follows: 

DRUSILLA DEANE 

INVITES YOU 

TO BRING YOUR DOLL TO THE WEDDING OF 

Flora Washington and Frank Bowker 
JUNE 23, 1871 
FROM FIVE TO EIGHT 

Every single one accepted promptly. The after- 
noon came, and with it the children, eager first of 
all to see the bridal dolls. But Mother had planned 
for the ceremony to be performed after supper; 


40 


DRUSILLA 


so Flora and Frank were kept out of sight, like 
real bridal couples, till then. 

The children played games for a while, and then 
Drusilla said she would read the story she had 
just finished writing as a surprise to her Father. 

“You see, Papa didn’t want me to read so many 
books while I had studying to do. I missed it so 
much that one day I said to Mother, ‘Well, if I 
can’t read books then I can write them!’ So I 
have written one and given it to Papa today as a 
surprise. Do you wish to hear it?” 

“Yes, yes!” exclaimed every one. 

So Drusilla brought her little manuscript and 
seated herself in a low chair while all the children 
sat around in a circle on the fioor to listen to 
Drusilla’s first book. It was called “Minnie Hall, 
or The Birthday Party.” 

By the time she had finished reading it aloud 
Mother came to announce supper. 

“Now each child must take her doll to the 
table,” called out Drusilla. “This is a dolls’ party 
and so the dolls must have some supper as well as 
we children.” 

Imagine, if you can, the sight of twenty little 
girls sitting around a table, each holding her dolly 
in front of her and feeding it with the wedding 
dainties. Everything had been made small; tiny 
little sandwiches, cakes and wee candies, served 
on tiny plates. But, as everyone had many help- 



Each holding her dolly in front of her and feeding it 
with the wedding dainties. 



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AND HER DOLLS 


43 


ings, both dollies and their mamas had all they 
wanted to eat. 

At seven o’clock Mother appeared at the door. 
“All ready, children,” she said. “Now let us go 
to the parlor.” So everybody started, grown-ups, 
too, for by this time there had arrived several of 
Father’s and Mother’s friends who had been in- 
vited to attend a mysterious wedding ceremony; 
whose, they were not told. Some had guessed it 
was to be Father’s brother, James. Others thought 
it might be Aunt Sarah Elizabeth. But when all 
were ushered into the parlor the secret was out. 
And the grown-ups learned what the children 
already knew, that it was to be a wedding of dolls ! 
There, on one end of the square piano, in all their 
glory, stood the happy doll-pair ready for the 
ceremony. At the other end of the piano were 
tastefully grouped the small wedding gifts which 
had been sent by invited doll guests. 

After every one was seated. Father’s friend, Mr. 
Wheeler, stepped up to the piano and said, 
“Friends, I have been summoned to tie the wed- 
ding knot for this young couple, and, in the spirit 
of the occasion, I shall endeavor to do so.” 

Turning to the dolls he continued, 

“Frank, do you take Flora to be your faithful 
and loving wife? If so, look straight ahead and 
do not move an eyelash! 

“Flora, do you accept Frank for your true and 


44 


DRUSILLA 


lawful husband? If so, keep perfectly silent, for 
‘silence gives consent!’ 

“Now that you both have made answer, I shall 
add my word of advice to you as I pronounce you 
doll-man and wife. 

“Frank, my word to you is, never do any work, 
but always depend upon your relatives for support. 

“Flora, you should always keep well painted 
and powdered, as all fashionable young ladies are 
bound to do, and dress in the lastest style. 

“Sharing each other’s joys and sorrows, may 
you both be happy until the eternal Ragbag closes 
over you forever!” 

As Mr. Wheeler finished, Brasilia said, “May the 
dolls go up now to congratulate Flora and 
FYank?” 

“Just a moment,” said Father. “Not until I 
have said a little word. Our dear friends, this has 
been a day of pleasure and surprises for all of us. 
First, Drusilla, you have surprised me with this 
little book which you have written all by yourself. 
I am so happy at what you have done that I want 
to give you a surprise in return.” Then, taking 
from his pocket a little leather case, he put it in 
Brasilia’s hands. She opened it and discovered 
the smallest gold watch she had ever seen. 

“Oh, Papa, Papa, dear! You’ve done it after 
all!” exclaimed Brasilia, as she threw her arms 


“I pronounce you doll-man and wife” 






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AND HER DOLLS 


46 


around her father’s neck and smothered him with 
kisses. 

“Yes,” he replied. “I knew how you wished for 
one and how I told you I thought you were too 
young for a real watch. But this morning when 
I read your little book I just thought you had 
earned it.” 

“Oh, I am so happy and you are so good!” said 
Drusilla, as she gave him another squeeze. 

By this time the children were crowding around, 
first, to see the beautiful gold watch and then 
to look at the bridal couple and their wedding 
presents. 

When the party broke up all the guests went 
away quite sure that doll-people’s weddings are 
just as interesting as live people’s weddings. 


FLORA’S BABY, DELIA 

A nd now I must tell you about another doll, 
the first one of the kind Drusilla had ever 
seen — a doll which had been given to her on the 
Christmas before the wedding. It was only about 
four inches tall, all china, and with arms so strung 
on with elastic that they were movable and would 


46 


DRUSILLA 


stay in whatever position they were put. It was 
dressed and given to Drusilia by Mother’s dress- 
maker. Drusilla named her Delia in honor of the 
giver, as usual. Delia was dressed in a lovely 
evening gown of white, with a train and a blue 
silk basque. 

Drusilla, at first sight, decided that Delia should 
be a great concert singer. Her movable arms 
would allow her to gesticulate and so to act out 
her songs, which would add great interest to her 
singing. So Drusilla spent much time arranging 
concert dates for Delia to sing before other groups 
of dolls. 

It was not long after Delia had joined the family 
that Drusilla discovered her strong likeness to 
Flora. Each had the same coloring, shape of face, 
and expression. In fact, Delia looked hke a di- 
minutive Flora. One day when Drusilla noticed 
the likeness she thought, what a fine baby Delia 
would make for Flora. Meanwhile, as Delia’s 
evening dress had become rather shabby, and 
Drusilla had been severely worn out getting up 
doll concerts, the change seemed a good one. 
Drusilla’s playmate, Rena Covalle, was taken into 
her confidence, and the two little girls spent a 
busy afternoon preparing a baby outfit, made 
chiefly from scraps found in Mother’s piece bags. 

After everything that a doll infant could need 
had been sewed and crocheted, Drusilla went to 


AND HER DOLLS 


47 


Mother with the announcement, “Flora has a baby 
girl!” Mother was quite surprised at the news. 
She made haste to call on Flora and found her a 
very proud and happy mother. The baby kept 
the name of Delia and made as pretty a baby as 
she had a singer. Frank, after his marriage, had 
decided to be a doctor and to cure the ills of all 
dolls in distress. So, after that, he was always 
called “Doctor Bowker.” He, too, was very proud 
and fond of his small daughter. Meanwhile, Dinah 
had been made nurse to Flora’s baby and Minnie 
raised to the dignity of aunt. These relationships 
were kept up by Drusilla as long as she played 
with dolls. 


DOCTOR BOWKER AND FAMILY GO TO 
EUROPE 

T he next important happening in the Bowker 
family was their trip to Europe. Drusilla 
loved to travel and to see new places and strange 
scenes. When she studied geography how she did 
wish she could go to see those countries, but 
Father and Mother said she would have to wait 
until she was grown up before that pleasure could 


48 


DRUSILLA 


come. But there was no reason why Flora and her 
family could not have a make-believe trip abroad. 

So, one August, after studying her geography 
very carefully and examining all the pictures she 
could find of places in Europe, she planned a trip 
for the dolls. 

Drusilla’s room had a large closet with a win- 
dow. In it was a big packing-case which Drusilla 
decided to use for a steamer. So, on the day they 
were to sail, into the packing-case went Doctor 
Bowker, Flora, baby Delia, Aunt Minnie, and 
Nurse Dinah. 

Drusilla, of course, could not be of the party 
because she could not leave school. So she kissed 
them all a fond farewell and watched them sail 
away. There, in the packing-box steamer, they 
stayed for ten actual days! For the next few weeks 
most of Drusilla’s spare time was spent in read- 
ing guide books and studying maps in order to 
allow the party to stay long enough in each place 
to see the sights and to spend the right amount 
of time on their journeys. 

The packing-box was very useful in all these 
plans, sometimes as a boat, sometimes as a hotel, 
and then again as a train. 

One day when Drusilla came home from school 
she found on her table a tiny little letter. The 
envelope, which was about two inches long, had 
in the upper right comer a small square cut from 


AND HER DOLLS 


49 


an old postage stamp. Beside this, to the left, a 
small circle had been drawn and in it had been 
printed the word, London. “Oh, what fun!’’ she 
said as she opened it and found it was from Flora. 
And this is what it said: 

Dear Sister Drusilla: 

I am beginning my first letter to you while 
still aboard ship. We are having a pleasant 
passage — only three bad days, and we all have 
proved to be pretty good sailors. Among the 
passengers is a college friend of Frank's, 

Edgar Newton. He is very attentive to sister 
Minnie; so she is having a fine time. 

Three days later. We landed yesterday and 
are now comfortably settled at a fine hotel. 

Through Edgar Newton we are to meet some 
English people who will get an invitation for 
Minnie to be presented at the Queen's Drawing 
Room. So you may know what excitement we 
are having getting a special gown for the affair. 

Baby Delia is growing fast and is as good as 
can be. Dinah thinks everything very grand 
here, but not so good as America. 

I will write again soon. Our love to all, 
especially to you and Kitty. 

Your loving sister. Flora. 

Drusilla at once guessed that her mother was 
the writer of the letter; so she ran to tell her what 
joy it was to get such fine news from the travelers. 
She didn’t want to spoil the make-believe, but she 
did want to know how Mother had made the little 


50 


DRUSILLA 


circle for the postmark with London in it. So she 
said, “What cute little stamps they must have to 
postmark such letters. I wonder how they do it.” 

Mother smiled as she guessed what was in 
Drusilla’s mind ; then she took up her thimble and 
placed it over the make-believe postmark. It just 
fitted. Drusilla knew then how it had been done. 

After that, the letters came almost every week, 
some from Paris, some from Switzerland, and 
some even from St. Petersburg. The dates on the 
envelopes were always ten or twelve days old 
when Drusilla received them; by that she could 
tell how long it took a letter to cross the ocean. 
And they generally came in some unexpected way. 
Sometimes, as she was studying in her room, she 
would see one of the tiny envelopes appear from 
under the crack of the door; then again the 
door hell would ring, and Mother would call out, 
Drusilla, will you go to the door?” And when 
Drusilla would open it, there, on the sill, she would 
find another little letter. She came to feel that 
she was having as much fun out of the European 
trip as her doll sisters were. But as Christmas 
approached, Drusilla began to think her family 
had been gone long enough; plans were hurriedly 
made for their return by fastest steamer. 


AND HER DOLLS 


51 


THE CHRISTMAS HOME-COMING 

T he travelers arrived the day before Christ- 
mas. Drusilla and Kitty rejoiced so much 
at the return of the Bowkers that Mother sug- 
gested they celebrate the occasion by a dolls’ 
Christmas tree on New Year’s Day, when 
Drusilla’s cousins could come and bring their 
dolls, too. 

Did ever a little girl have a mother who could 
think of such wonderful things to do ! 

The following day there was great excitement 
getting ready for the party and in making gifts 
for every one. 

Mother secured a small tree of just the right 
size and shape, which, when the decorations and 
doll gifts were fastened on, was as full as it could 
hold and lovely to look at. 

Drusilla’s two girl cousins had to make two 
trips from their home in order to bring all their 
dolls and gifts. 

When the afternoon arrived and all were gath- 
ered around the tree, Drusilla played Santa Claus 
and distributed the tiny gifts. But what was her 
surprise as she finished, to find under the tree a 
package that looked like a packing-case. It was 


52 


DRUSILLA 


all tied up with heavy cords and had foreign look- 
ing marks all over it. On it in big letters was the 
name, “Dr. Prank Bowker, Boston.” 

“That is something even Santa did not know 
about,” laughed Mother, as she saw how puzzled 
Drusilla looked. 

“I think this must be something Dr. Prank has 
brought from Europe.” 

Drusilla hurried to open it, and, sure enough, 
there were new clothes for those who had been 
away, and other new ones for those who had 
stayed at home! A whole trunkful of pretty 
things! 

Drusilla was too happy for words. She looked 
at her mother, then threw her arms around her 
neck, and said, “Oh, you good, good Mama!” 

“And good Grandma, too,” added Mother, “for 
Grandma Lynde, also, has spent much time help- 
ing to make these pretty clothes.” 

“Well, I’ll hug her, then, tomorrow!” 

And so ended the dolls’ Christmas party. 



A whole trunkful of pretty things 




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AND HER DOLLS 


53 


THE BOSTON FIRE 

T he European trip had lasted six actual 
months. It had often seemed long to 
Drusilla, for while she played they were in Europe 
and she was in America, she never spoke to them 
as if she were herself. She never kissed them hut 
once. That was the night of the big Boston fire, 
when, at one time, there seemed danger of its 
spreading and reaching Drusilla’s home. 

“We must pack up some of our most valued 
things, to save them in case the fire reaches here,” 
said Mother. 

So Drusilla took one of her mother’s satchels 
and put into it her little gold watch, the story she 
had written, and her other keepsakes, besides 
some clothing. Then she went to the closet and 
took up each doll, one by one, and kissed it ten- 
derly, perhaps, she thought, for the last time. 

“I love you all, but I can’t save you all, and I 
can’t choose one and leave the rest; so goodbye, 
you dear darlings!” 

Drusilla’s throat choked with tears as she closed 
the door of the closet, and lay down on her bed 
ready to be called. 


54 


DRUSILLA 


But, happily, the fire did not reach as far as 
Drusilla’s home, and she was spared the tragedy 
that had seemed so near. 


DRUSILLA A BRIDE 

T he time had now come when Drusilla’s days 
were so filled with school and music lessons, 
reading and sewing, that there was little time left 
to spend with sister Kitty and the Bowkers. Other 
interests began to occupy her leisure. But her 
dollies had been so real and so dear to her that 
she could not think of parting with them. So 
her doll family retired to a quiet and uneventful 
life in the old packing box, only coming out oc- 
casionally to entertain some small girl visitor. 

The years flew by and Drusilla grew up to be 
a young lady. When she finished boarding school 
she returned to Mother and Father, who were 
again living in Washington, where she had a 
happy life, until the time came when she was to 
be married and go far away. 

The breaking up of the devoted family was hard 
for all, but plans for long visits, back and forth, 
helped to comfort them. When the time came for 


AND HER DOLLS 


55 


Drusilla to go to her new home she took with her 
the old case In which were carefully packed all 
her dear dollies. She had found time to take them 
out and freshen them all up to go with her on her 
wedding journey. 

“You remember, Mother, how sorry I always 
felt that you had not saved your doll for me. 
Well, my dollies are to be kept always; then, if 
I ever have any little girls they can see and know 
the dolls that gave me so much happiness when 
I was a child.” 


DRUSILLA A MOTHER 

D rusilla kept her word. In a few years she 
had two little girls of her own. When they 
were old enough to enjoy the dolls Drusilla decided 
to celebrate the twenty-first anniversary of 
Flora’s and Prank’s wedding. 

Her little girls were overjoyed at the thought, 
and became very busy in getting their dolls ready 
for the wedding anniversary. 

All the children in the village were invited to 
attend and bring their dolls. And what an array 
there was ! Over fifty of them came. Little dolls. 


56 


DRUSILLA 


big dolls, pretty dolls, homely dolls! Some in silk 
and some in calico! 

Flora and Prank received their guests in their 
wedding clothes, which proved great curiosities 
to the children whose own dolls were dressed in 
the fashion of another generation. 


DRUSILLA A GRANDMOTHER 

A ll this happened many years ago. Now 
Drusilla is a grandma. Her own little girlies 
have grown up, married, and have little children 
of their own. But Grandma Drusilla still has her 
dollies. One Christmas vacation her mother, 
whom the children call “G. G.” (for great grand- 
ma) took out all the dolls and dressed them in 
their best clothes. Then she gave a tea-party to 
her great grandchildren and showed them their 
Grandma’s dolls. How funny and different they 
looked from their own dolls but what fun it was 
to see and hear about them! 


AND HER DOLLS 


57 


THE GOLDEN WEDDING 

N OW, one more celebration is due. Grandma 
Drusilla has planned for her old dollies to 
make a party in honor of the fiftieth wedding an- 
niversary of the Bowkers. So, when the roses are 
in bloom, “G, G.”, Grandma Drusilla, her daugh- 
ters, and their little children will all meet at 
Grandma’s home by the sea, to enjoy the “Golden 
Wedding” of Prank and Flora and to hear once 
again of Grandma Drusilla’s make-believes. 

Don’t you want to be there? 


’KvA'Ai'vL •' * • '^'.. . I { ‘' ' • ' . . 1 .. , 




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